Pusser's Rum Gunpowder Proof
Pusser's Rum Gunpowder Proof is a 750mL Royal Navy style rum bottled at 54.5% ABV (109 proof) — the original Admiralty strength, blended to the recipe last used when the Royal Navy ended the daily ration on 31 July 1970. It is aged a minimum of three years in charred oak in Guyana. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 54.5% (109 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Age: Minimum 3 years in charred oak
- Style: Royal Navy rum at original Admiralty (gunpowder) strength
- Origin: Guyana (brand home: British Virgin Islands)
At Proof, By the Gunpowder Test
Before the hydrometer, a ship's purser — the "Pusser" — proved a tot had not been watered down by dousing gunpowder in the rum and lighting it: if it ignited, the rum was at proof. Pusser's bottles this expression at that original Admiralty strength, from Demerara molasses rums in Guyana's wooden pot-still tradition, in a dark coppery amber style. See the house on the Pusser's Rum vendor page, or browse our full rum collection.
Tasting Notes
Per the official product page: pungent molasses, treacle, toffee, honey, and vanilla on the nose with oak, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger; full-bodied and more intense than the Blue Label, with a long, smooth, mellow finish for its strength.
How to Enjoy
A few drops of water open it up neat; at full strength it is also the brand's Painkiller base for drinkers who want the Navy pour uncut. More navy-strength rums are in our rum collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Gunpowder Proof" mean?
It names the pre-hydrometer test: rum doused on gunpowder and lit — ignition proved the spirit had not been watered down. This bottling sits at 54.5% ABV (109 proof).
Is Gunpowder Proof stronger than the Blue Label?
Yes — 54.5% ABV here versus 42% ABV for the US Blue Label, from the same Admiralty family.
Where is Pusser's Gunpowder Proof made?
In Guyana, from Demerara River Valley molasses; the British Virgin Islands are the brand's home, not the distillation origin.
Original Admiralty strength, gunpowder and all — order Pusser's Gunpowder Proof online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.